2026 Volvo EX90 review, quick drive

Volvo is back. At least, that was the driving message from Volvo New Zealand at the EX90 launch.

Volvo’s recent resurgence was a key theme of the presentation, which included about 20 minutes of market updates before even touching on the EX90. What we saw was that Volvo New Zealand saw an increase in sales volume of 40% in 2025, with nearly 60% of that volume attributed to the XC90 and XC60 nameplates alone. This puts the Swedish brand just behind Tesla as the second fastest growing brand in the premium SUV market.

You’ll have to excuse me for getting bogged down in numbers and statistics immediately, yet I feel it's an important context for what the EX90 means for Volvo in New Zealand. The 2025 Luxury Car of the Year will be slotting right into Volvo’s fastest growing market segment, and offer price parity with its ICE counterparts, with a very impressive spec list. This isn’t a happy accident, with Volvo Cars New Zealand Brand Manager Daile Stephens saying that this has been a priority for the EX90, and their future EV strategy. 

“Obviously, the price point is more if you want to buy an electric vehicle. But with EX90 we are creating price parity with a lot of our ICE competitors…removing that barrier.”

The challenge with setting a high bar though is that anything less in the following year will feel like disappointment. So, is the EX90 good enough to continue driving Volvo to the top?

How much does the Volvo EX90 cost?

The EX90 will be available in New Zealand in two trim levels, beginning with the Plus Twin Motor at $149,990. This ‘entry’ level EX90 has 335kW/670Nm and will do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.5 seconds. Are these statistics really relevant for a 7-seater family SUV? Not really, but are they impressive? Absolutely. 

What is even more impressive is that for just an extra $10,000, you can get the flagship of the range, the Ultra Twin Motor Performance. With 500kW/870Nm and 0-100km/h in a frankly silly 4.2s, the Ultra is also dripping with spec. This is the one we drove, and the one Volvo Cars New Zealand is putting its hopes and dreams behind. 

Stephens stated that they expect most, if not all, EX90 sold to be the Performance, even going so far as to say that the Plus spec will only be brought into the country if there are specific orders for it.

When you consider the power bump at without compromising the 600km of range you can expect from the 106kWh battery, and additional goodies that come with the Ultra - including a 25-speaker, 1600W Bowers & Wilkins sound system -  you can see why Volvo are putting their focus firmly on the top spec model.

Volvo have backed up these performance specs with safety to match, claiming that this is the safest Volvo to date. This isn’t just idle chat, with the EX90 claiming the highest combined occupant safety rating for a large SUV from ANCAP. Achieved through a suite of ADAS and functional safety systems, including interior radar to manage occupant safety.

When you want to talk about price competitors for the EX90, it gets really interesting. The only other fully electric, 7-seater SUV on the market today is the Kia EV9, which starts at $110,790 and maxes out at $139,790 for the GT-line, which offers similar performance and spec as the EX90 Plus, but the fit and finish on the Swedish car is on another level. Also, Volvo doesn't consider the EV9 ‘premium’ enough to be a real competitor.

Then you look at vehicles that compete on size, like the BMW X5, which starts at $157,400 for the base xDrive30d, just shy of the Performance’s sticker price. The EX90 blows the BMW out of the water on performance and spec.

What I’m getting at is, I don’t know if you can apply the term ‘bargain’ to a vehicle that costs $159,990, but that is genuinely what the EX90 feels like.

What’s the Volvo EX90 like inside?

While the EX90 shares part of its nameplate with the XC90, they’re very different cars aesthetically. The EX90 is 84mm longer than its hybrid sister-car, crossing the five meter mark at 5037mm, and features the closed front end seen styling on the smaller EX30. The sealed up front, frameless wing-mirrors and flush door handles all contribute to a drag co-efficient of just 0.29.

The ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights feature 1.3 million pixels that animate on opening and locking, with the updated rear column taillights giving the impression of a blown up EX30.

As we have come to expect from Volvo, the interior quality is top notch. The EX90 adopts the minimalism of Volvo’s ‘Swedish Lounge’ design language, while being finished in a mixture of sustainably sourced materials, including open-pore wood trim and Volvo’s ‘Nordico’ upholstery- though you can still option Nappa leather.

The interior is dominated by a 14.5 inch-display which runs on the latest Google operating system, meaning seamless integration with Google Maps and access to the Google Play store.

This screen was the source of most of my consternation with the EX90. The majority of the car’s basic functions are hidden in submenus here, requiring you to take your eyes off the road to do something as simple as open your glove box. Then, if you get to a particularly fun bit of road, you’ll need to open your drive settings menu and individually adjust your suspension, steering and powertrain - that’s at least four presses at a time when you want to be most engaged. Thankfully, Volvo has retained a separate driver display, unlike in the EX30 where even your speedo sits in the central screen.

The rear seats are great, with the trademark EV flat floor meaning the middle seat is actually usable for someone that you don’t dislike. We also can’t forget that this is a bonafide 7-seater, with a comfortable third row for anyone under 170cm, featuring ventilation, speakers and usb-c charging ports in the back.

Put down that third row and you get a very solid sized boot with a flat load surface.

How does the Volvo EX90 drive?

While it’s easy to focus on the headline performance specs, those aren’t actually relevant to the primary use case of this vehicle. While it confidently carved up the backroads, where it truly excelled was as a comfortable and quiet cruiser.

Driving up State Highway 1 on the smooth tarmac at 110km/h, the EX90 felt nine tenths of a Rolls Royce. Wind and road noise were nearly non-existent, and with the 1600W Bowers & Wilkins sound system pumping and massage seats kneading your lower back, you could eat up the hours in this car without issue. 

Our diversion off SH1 and on to SH12 gave us an opportunity to run the EX90 on some more dynamic roads. Putting the suspension into its firm setting levelled the EX90 through the corners, but made the dual-chamber air suspension far too stiff for a worn Kiwi back road. This wasn’t helped by the huge 22” wheels which amped up the harshness. The SUV felt much more settled for spirited driving in comfort mode, where it could soak up the road’s imperfections. 

The steering was tight and allowed you to place the EX90 through most turns with ease. This isn’t a sports car by any means, but it does about as good an impersonation of one as a 7-seater can.

The straight line performance is, as expected, outrageous for a 2.8 tonne family SUV. Plant your foot and you’re fed all 870Nm instantly, forcing all three rows of passengers into the backs of their seats. Practically applied, this makes overtaking and open-road driving a breeze. The throttle mapping also has a very usable curve to it, allowing you to apply the 500kW smoothly without giving the kids in the back a fright.

What do you get?

Now to address the elephant in the room, the lack of LiDAR. Touted as one of the key technological feats of the EX90, the MY26 cars are being produced without the trademark roofline hump due to a split between Volvo and its supplier, Luminar. Volvo Cars New Zealand were quick to point out that this doesn’t affect the EX90’s safety credentials. 

“It's still considered the safest Volvo ever made, even without it,” says Stephens.

The flipside to receiving the MY26 LiDAR-less cars is that all EX90 coming to New Zealand are built on the 800v architecture. This means rapid charging times, with a 350kW charger able to provide 250km of range in just 10 minutes.

The EX90 is also dripping with spec. Fantastic sound systems are a highlight, with the 24 speaker Bowers & Wilkins system in the Ultra sitting up there with the best I’ve experienced. Wireless phone mirroring is present for Apple users, but Android Auto wasn’t available in the car we drove and will apparently be added later.

Being the safest car Volvo has ever made, there is a comprehensive suite of ADAS systems, with an effective, if sometimes intrusive, lane-keeping system and a sharp driver monitoring suite.

Volvo EX90 Ultra equipment highlights:

• Jewel-design media rotary knob
• Jewel-design air intake controls
• Birch decor
• Trailored dashboard and door panels
• Nordico upholstery
• Premium textile interior cabin floor mats
• Tailored steering wheel
• Whiplash injury protection
• Inflatable curtain
• Side impact protection
• ISOFIX mounting points, rear seat
• Digital key plus
• Dual-stage airbags
• Knee airbag, driver side
• Integrated booster cushion
• Tempered side and rear windows
• Warning triangle
• Run-off road mitigation
• Collision avoidance and mitigation
• Pedestrian, cyclist and scooter steering avoidance
• Rear cross traffic alert with low speed auto brake
• Intersection autobrake
• Connected safety
• Volvo Assistance
• 9-inch driver display
• 14.5 inch center display
• Emergency stop assist and safety call
• 360 degree camera with 3D view
• Occupant sensing
• Advanced sensing technology
• LED headlights
• Headlight cleaning 
• Pilot Assist
• Heads-up display
• BLIS (Blind Spot Information System)
• Auto-dimmed rear view mirrors
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Power adjustable steering column
• Park pilot assist
• Electric cabin heater and cooler
• Third row air conditioning

CarExpert’s take on the Volvo EX90

The Volvo EX90 provides an experience that can, weirdly, feel like a steal for $159,990 when you consider spec competitors. The performance is outrageous, experience premium, and practicality faultless.

Its almost perfect score is marred by simple flaws in the user experience that revolve around basic functions being hidden in submenus, though I’m aware that this isn’t a problem unique to the EX90. The lack of LiDAR will also be a disappointment for some, but the experience feels whole without it.

If the EX60 arriving later this year can emulate what its bigger brother has achieved, then the electrified future of Volvo is looking bright.